President's Office

Faculty Retreat 2020 Address

Faculty Retreat 2020: Envisioning Our Future
"If You Want to Go Far, Go Together"
Dianne F. Harrison, Ph.D.
President

January 14, 2020 • Pickwick Gardens, Burbank

  • Good morning.  I am pleased to join you on your annual retreat, as you explore the theme of working together to achieve shared visions.    In other words, teamwork. I believe that most of us – in this room, on campus, and indeed, in the world, understand and appreciate the value of teamwork and collaboration.  Sometimes, though, we choose to go it alone or partner with a few who are like minded, so pausing to reflect about it holistically is vital.
  • Helen Keller reminded us, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”   So true.
  • I read something recently that I want to share with you.  This is from an article in “Inside HigherEd” by several authors from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  They wrote that a healthy university culture “comprises a diverse group of active scholars committed to the welfare of their colleagues, the missions of research and teaching, and service toward . . .  their university.”  Key to the success of this culture is “the fostering of respectful interaction among colleagues.”  And I ask you today to consider the quality of your own interactions with colleagues to support CSUN’s mission.  Are you bridging differences and working together for the good of our students?
  • As I reflect on the last almost eight years at CSUN, I am exceptionally proud of our accomplishments – those achieved by some of you individually and by those of you working as a team.  Not only have we educated more students than ever before, but also we have enriched those experiences for them; we have enriched the experiences for each other and for ourselves;
  • our work is transformational for thousands of students, their families and our communities.  Allow me to be bold enough to say that together we have contributed to making this world a better place.
  • Let me also be “bold enough” to say that we can do more – and we must do more.
  • Please note my intentional use of the word, “we.”  Each and every person on campus plays a role – an important role – in our mission and must take responsibility for that.  But it is the collective “we” where the magic – and where the real “success” – happens.   Again, “together we can do so much.”
  • At CSUN, our mission is OF COURSE student success, and all goals and all priorities support that mission!  But what is “student success?”  How do we define it?  The problem perhaps in part to realizing the greater outcomes as a “we” or a team is that we have different definitions and different execution plans for achieving student success.  We have to fix that – we MUST fix that. 
  • At CSUN, we believe that student success includes a holistic sense of fulfillment and belonging while pursuing a rich, multi-cultural education.  To realize this success, we must ensure that every student has a clear, achievable path to completion. 

  • Regarding an achievable – and equitable - path, I know many of you are already working to eliminate our opportunity gaps – and I commend and thank you -- but there is still significant work to be done, especially as it relates to high DFU courses. We need to accelerate our pace of closing these gaps and “we” must do this collaboratively as a campus community.
  • If you read or saw Governor Newsom’s second Budget Message this week, he spoke about the need for the CSUs and UCs to intentionally address racial disparities in time to degree completion rates.  So we know we have issues and we know it’s critical to address from the Governor’s Office to the legislature, to the Chancellor’s Office to your classrooms.
  • Let’s look for who has this figured out on our own campus and on other campuses and learn from them.  I would suggest talking to them about their strategies that have proved successful.
  • On this point for a moment, our DFUs are a significant piece of our opportunity gaps and exist in every college. Indeed, the 100 sections with the highest DFUs have an average DFU rate of 34% (ranging from 62-25%) and impact 15886 students (by seat not headcount or FTES).  Our data show that 10% of courses that freshmen take in their first year contribute to 80% of the DFUs that freshmen receive in the first year.   These courses impact 4786 new Freshmen – 99.85% of our Freshmen take at least one of these courses.
  • Put another way, of the 4,786 students who took at least one of these courses, 47% received a DFU. However, among our traditionally underserved students 54% received a DFU, while among our traditionally better served students 31% received a DFU.  We need to better understand why this is happening and eliminate these disparities.  I would note as well that DFUs are the primary predictor of persistence into a Freshman’s third semester, so the stakes are very high.
  • As a university, we are trying to address the many needs for services, basic-needs solutions, scheduling and advisement to support our learners.  But we must also ensure that all of our classes are using effective teaching modalities.  This is on you collectively, our faculty.  In part, the issue is societal; in part, it is generational.  You know that Gen-Z students are unlike any students that have come before.  We don’t need to re-hash how these students relate differently and utilize technology more fluently.  We have talked about it before.  The point is, you may need to re-examine your approach to teaching.  We can’t continue to leave students behind.  This takes each and every one of us to solve – and to provide each and every student the same opportunity to succeed.  We must work together to figure this out.
  • Sara Lipka, Author of “the Truth About Student Success,” explained in a Chronicle of Higher Education video (Jan. 10, 2019) that “because student success feels so important and urgent there’s been a fixation on solutions and the idea that a certain program or certain tool is really going to get you where you need to go ….”  But we must address the underlying issues!  Data can help us do that.
  • You may remember that Provost Mary Beth Walker invited a special speaker to be part of her ongoing Student Success lecture series. Dr. Allison Calhoun-Brown, Vice President for Student Engagement and Programs at Georgia State University, spoke at CSUN about “Implementation Strategies in Support of Student Success.”
  • Dr. Calhoun-Brown explained that by taking a deep dive into their own data, Georgia State uncovered a need for specific initiatives to ease the admission process and support student retention.
  • Georgia State did not do anything incredibly revolutionary – in fact, we already do much of what they did, but perhaps one difference is that at Georgia State, the effort was collaborative, thereby magnifying the impact.
  • University committees and units at Georgia State worked together to identify and address retention challenges related to major qualifications, including GPA requirements and gateway courses.  Department Chairs and the Georgia State University Senate collaborated to re-design the curriculum in academic programs with significant progression or graduation barriers.
  • A decade ago, Georgia State graduation rates were 22 percent for Latinos and 29 percent for African Americans, but today the achievement gaps are gone.  African American, Hispanic, low-income, and first-generation students all graduate from Georgia State at or above the rate of the student body overall -- 54% in 2019.  This is a tremendous achievement and a tremendous benefit to the people of urban Atlanta. 
  • The University of Minnesota, Rochester, has also closed the opportunity gap using a strategy that prioritizes student engagement.
  • At UMR, students of color, students who receive Pell grants and students who are the first in their families to attend college have average four-year graduation rates that are virtually identical to the university’s overall four-year graduation rate of 56 percent.  How did UMR do this?
  • One of the keys to their success is the “Just Ask” faculty tutoring service.  Faculty members from various disciplines assemble in common areas of the university for several hours a day to answer students’ questions. UMR found that this approach is particularly helpful for students who are unfamiliar with college, such as first-generation students too intimidated to seek tutoring or visit professors during formal office hours.
  • And while this approach benefits students, I am sure it creates greater cohesion and communication among faculty members.  How great to see your colleagues informally and in-action with students.
  • I am not saying that UMR’s “Just Ask” faculty tutoring is the right thing for CSUN, but we need to talk to each other to figure out what is working in our own classrooms and departments.
  • We have to pay attention to what is succeeding and pursue those strategies that show promise.  We need to COLLECTIVELY pursue those proven strategies versus individual solutions.  There is no time to wait.
  • I want to remind you that we are part of the bigger picture.  The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center released its “Completing College 2019 National Report” in December and found that the national college completion rate is continuing to rise.
  • To summarize, after steady increases over the last four years, the national six-year completion rate has reached 60 percent for the 2013 entering cohort, representing a new eight-year high.  This six-year completion rate is 1.4 percentage points higher than the previous cohort’s rate.  Our current six-year completion rate is 55.3%, below the national average, but also slowly increasing.
  • And although nationally African American and Hispanic students made some gains, the overall racial and ethnic completion disparities remained substantial. For example, African Americans were 40 percent less likely to have completed college in six years than Asians.  These gaps are evident at CSUN, too.  For the 2013 FTF cohort, African Americans had a 6-year graduation rate of 41.7%, compared to 63.3% for Asians.
  • Despite the gains in completion over all, about 40 percent of students – nationally approximately one million -- are still leaving college before completion.
  • Courtney Brown, vice president of strategic impact at the Lumina Foundation explained, "The bigger concern with that 40 percent is they’re . . . more likely to be students of color. These are the students we have to think about how we can better support."
  • CSUN prides itself on inclusivity and our racially diverse student population, so we have an obligation to be part of the solution.  The gaps are certainly apparent at graduation, but are the result of inequitable outcomes our students experience along the way.  We need to confront our own race/inequity issues that contribute to our disparities.
  • Let’s step back from the national outlook and examine the situation in California alone.  According to California Competes, California is threatened with a deficit of more than 2 million workers with degrees or certificates by 2025.  It is of critical importance to our state’s economy and the vitality of our communities that we in higher education do our utmost to address and indeed, conquer this challenge.  And according to the Public Policy Institute of California, increasing the number of college graduates could benefit our state overall through lower unemployment, lower demand for social safety net programs, higher tax revenue and greater civic engagement.  As you can see, a lot rides on what happens in the classroom!
  • Student success can, in pockets, be achieved through disparate strategies, but working together we can impact so many more lives positively.
  • One of the most vital aspects of higher education is the work of faculty in exploring pedagogies. Let’s celebrate this!  Let’s be open to new ideas!  Though we may not all agree at the end of the process, we must work together and implement the most successful strategies to support our students – and we (YOU) must do it quickly.  It is not good enough to still leave 4 of every 10 behind as we debate this.
  • Your work is so important, not just because of the tremendous advancements and contributions you each make to your chosen field – but also because you truly impact lives and the trajectories of families. Think about that!
  • It is critically important that we work together as a team – even with those outside your department or college – to figure out what works in addressing DFUs and eliminating gaps.  The Department of Communication at University of Pittsburgh defines deliberation as “the collaborative process of discussing contested issues by considering various perspectives in order to . . . guide judgement.”  While it is tempting and perhaps easier to work only with those we know or who share our opinions, we stand to gain a lot when we break out of our comfort zones and deliberate with those who think differently.  We must be willing to let go sometimes of our own methods if other methods are proven to be more successful for more students.
  • I want to give a special shout out to recognize several CSUN initiatives aimed as tackling our DFUs.
  • One approach that truly shows great potential for reducing equity gaps is The Peer Coaching program at the Mike Curb College.  The program connects first-time freshmen with Juniors and Seniors for both one-on-one coaching and group workshops focusing on time management, study skills, success mindset, how to connect with faculty, and career preparation. Students in the pilot cohort last year were all from traditionally underserved populations and had a retention rate that was 8% to 12% higher than other first-time freshmen in the college. 

  • Another promising initiative is Faculty Development’s Institute for Transformative Teaching and Learning.  Faculty participating in the Institute reported significant reductions in equity gaps through the development and use of equity toolkits which inform inclusive teaching strategies.
  • When I was first appointed as President, I was told CSUN was a very collaborative institution.  I found that was true in some instances – mostly in crisis situations, but not entirely – and there is room for improvement.  I do recognize momentum in additional areas, though, and that is great!  We have some excellent and very recent examples of CSUN faculty uniting in support of student success.
  • One of the latest examples of multidisciplinary collaboration is a project between the Early Childhood Special Education Program in CSUN’s Department of Special Education and the Applied Behavior Analysis Program in CSUN’s Department of Psychology. Funded by a five-year grant of nearly $1 million from the U.S. Department of Education, “The Bridge Project” will provide master’s level training to behavior analysts and early childhood special educators.
  • Another recent example is the NASA Autonomy Research Center at CSUN. Funded by a $3 million NASA grant, the center will serve as a research base for faculty from six of our colleges studying various aspects of increasingly autonomous systems — from the creation of autonomous systems to such legal and societal concerns such as individual rights and privacy.
  • These are tremendous initiatives, and I know such creativity and collaborative work can be found throughout CSUN.
  • Let’s look to each other to fix the DFUs and find the solution to eliminating our opportunity gaps.  I know we have the knowledge, ability and wherewithal right here, in this room.  Use today to get to know your colleagues better and to exchange ideas for how we can transform learning at CSUN – and please, not at a superficial level.
  • Divisiveness is unproductive and toxic and incredibly selfish.  It brings out the worst in people and we see that every day across the nation, in Washington, and yes, at CSUN as well.  On our campus, I believe we have common ground on our noble purpose of helping our students succeed and ultimately become leaders in their chosen fields and in their communities.  We have a moral obligation to do this to the best of our abilities.  Does collaboration and teamwork mean we will always “agree” on strategies, tactics and solutions?  Of course not!  But we must all put our egos and personal agendas aside and meet on our common ground – which is our students.  We must resist becoming entrenched in a position and defending it behind a few like-minded colleagues.  It will not be easy, but it is possible.  Taking the high road to collaboration is never easy; I know that from my own personal experience.
  • Allow me to illustrate.  Some of you are familiar with a collaborative known as the CSU5.  If you are not, let me explain.
  • When I first started as president of CSUN, I was struck by the lack of visibility and acknowledgment of the value of CSUN in Los Angeles.  The conversation was about the “other” universities in Los Angeles and not about the mission of the CSU, the incredible social mobility, nor any recognition of our award-winning faculty or highly ranked programs.
  • After some level of penetration on the significance of CSUN, I pitched the idea of a CSU LA-area, regional collaborative.  The breadth and depth of faculty expertise, research capacity and resources we could collectively leverage if we worked together to solve real world challenges would be powerful. The idea was broadly accepted, indeed lauded, in LA by the elected officials, business organizations and employers.
  • But like our challenges on campus – including our equity gap - it was exceedingly difficult to implement and reach agreement on the organization of the CSU5 – campus by campus.
  • Collaboration?  Does that mean my campus or I will not get proper credit? Or, we will get less money or fewer resources?  No, in fact it won’t. After months, literally, of hammering out the details of our operating agreement, we found common ground and formally launched the CSU5 collaborative.  I would be remiss if I did not publicly thank Dean Joyce Feucht-Haviar and Julia Potter for all of their efforts in helping make this a reality!
  • Three examples of the success we have had for our communities as a result of collaboratively operating the CSU5 are VITA, the ReLAY Institute, and the Advanced Manufacturing Designation.
  • Working as a collaborative, VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) was awarded the California Earned Income Tax Credit (Cal EITC) Free Tax Preparation Assistance Grant from the California Department of Community Services and Development to substantially expand the impact of VITA programs at each of the CSU5 campuses and more disadvantaged communities. This ultimately increased access for low-income individuals and families in Los Angeles County to file their tax returns and receive the California Earned Income Tax Credit.
  • Reconnecting Los Angeles Youth – or the ReLAY Institute, headquartered at CSUN, is the first multi-campus institute in the CSU.  ReLAY Institute was created to improve outcomes for the region’s opportunity youth — young adults ages 16-24 who are out of school and out of work, involved in the foster or probation system, parenting, and/or have experienced homelessness.  It provides an innovative platform to transform service delivery systems by streamlining the many agencies and services that affect and impact their lives.
  • The CSU5 took a lead role in preparing the region’s application to be designated a “Manufacturing Community” by the US Commerce Department in support of long-term regional economic development. I am told our joint letter from the CSU5 campuses working together carried more impact than individual letters and was an important component in establishing the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership for Southern California.  Known as AMP SoCal, this partnership of businesses, JPL, community colleges, additional CSUs, research universities, and government entities has led to the creation of more than 5,000 new jobs and the retention of nearly 3,000 additional jobs throughout the region.
  • My point is that collaboration is NEVER easy, but it can be enormously successful if folks are determined to make it work and seek and achieve higher common ground.
  • If our student outcomes were improved due to divisiveness, then I would say, go for it!  Let’s let it all out!  But that is not productive and it doesn’t lead to meaningful progress for large numbers of our students.
  • The work we need to do – and the scale – requires that we often individually compromise to move forward.  It requires that we authentically listen to each other, even when we hold opposing viewpoints.  We have to be at the table – collectively and collaboratively – figuring out and doing what is in the best interests of our students.  It requires that we follow the evidence and proven success strategies, and that we lean in together to accomplish what we must.  We need to embrace our common values and desires to have CSUN at the top of the rankings for helping our students achieve their dreams.
  • I am excited and hopeful for the work that our Provost, Mary Beth Walker, is doing.  I am excited and hopeful that the exceptional effort happening in and out of classrooms by faculty, advisors and staff will support even greater numbers of students on their educational journeys.
  • CSUN has a history and reputation for leadership and for pushing forward innovative and entrepreneurial strategies and programs.  Let’s continue our leadership in the CSU and nationally.  I know this work is hard – and I deeply appreciate all of your efforts, especially in the spring semester when our students matter so much and so many of them are looking forward to a transformative experience for themselves and for their families.
  • To end today, I will quote an African proverb: If you want to go fast, go alone.  If you want to go far, go together.
  • Think about that, and better yet, talk about what it means with your colleagues here today.  Thank you.  I now invite questions for myself or members of the cabinet.